Self-playing musical instrument.



No. 875,656. PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

' L. B. DOMAN.

SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1a, 1906.

LEWIS B. DOMAN, OF ELBRIDGE, NEW YORK.

SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed March 13. 1906. Serial No. 305.763.

T 0 all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs B. DOMAN, of Elbridge, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-Playing Mu sical Instruments, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying, drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic self-playing musical instruments in which a series of pneumatic-sound producin devices, representing individualnotes, are adapted to be brought into co-active re lation with corresponding parts of the piano action for actuating the latter. In this class of musical instruments, it is customary to construct the several mechanisms for performing functions in different parts of the factory, or by different manufacturers who make a specialty of manufacturing a specific mechanism. This is particularly true in the manufacture of what is commonl known as the pneumatic actions in whic i the pneumatics are permanently associated with one or more wind chests or valve shelves containing a group of primary pneumatics and a corresponding number of valves for controlling the action of the sound.- producing neumatics, and in order that the entire pneumatic action, as a unit, may be easily and quickly placed in operative position without the employment of especially skilled labor, I have rovided means for a limited adjustment 0 the action so as to bring the individual pneumatics into proper relation with the digital parts of the, piano action with which such pneumatics co-act.

The essential object, therefore, of my present invention is to provide means whereby the entire pneumatic action may be removably secured in the piano or in a separate layer, as the case may be, and ad usted ongitudinally and transversely to bring the sound producing pneumatics of the action into exact operative relation with the digital parts of the piano action with which such pneumatics co-act.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a pneumatic action, and portions of the side pieces of the case, in whichrthe action is supported. Fig-v 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 1.

In order to demonstrate the practicability of my invention, I have shown in section portions of the side-pieces .-A*' of a case of a piano or separate player, each of said side pieces being provided with an inwardly proecting ledge -a, for receiving and supportmg a pneumatic action comprising in this instance, a series of valve-shelves 1 which are clamped together by suitable bolts 2- and are each provided with a group of pnumatics 3 communicating with their respective valve shelves in any well known manner, not necessary to herein illustrate or describe.

As shown in the drawings, the valve shelves or wind-chests 1 and pncumatics 3 constitute a unitary structure forming an article of manufacture, having opposite longitudinal projecting arms "4* which preferably overhang the ledges afor receiving suitable adjusting screws -5 and clamping screws -6. Each of the ledges -d is provided witha metal bearingplaie 8- having a threaded aperture 9- for receiving the threaded end of the clamping screw -6 which is passed through an elongated slot I() in the adjacent arm -4 of the pneumatic action.

I preferably provide each supporting arm 4 of the pneumatic action with a pair of adjusting screws 5- located at opposite sides of the clamping screws 6- and engaged with threaded apertures -11- in the arms 4=, said ad usting screws -5- having their lower ends bearing upon the upper face of the bearing plate S- so that the entire pneumatic action is supported by the adjusting screws "5 resting upon the plates -8 and is held in this adjusted position by the clamping screws 6.

fit is now obvious that by supporting each end of the action upon a pair of adjusting screws resting upon the bearing plate -8- of the ledge -a, the entire series of valve shelves and their pneumatics may be adjusted vertically, longitudinally and tilted transversely, or such -action may be tilted slightly either longitudinally or transversely by manipulating the adjusting screws -5 so as to bring the operating parts of the pneumatics -3 into proper relation with the digital parts of the piano action with which.

adjusted position by the clamping screws The slots 1 O through which the clamp ing bolts -6- pass are sufiiciently large transversely and longitudinally to allow limited longitudinal adjustment, and 'also transverse tilting movement of the matic action and at the same time the entire action may be easily removed by simply unscrewing the clamping screws 6 from engagement with the plates -8 whereupon such action maybe lifted from the supporting ledges AT'. 1

a In placing the pneumatic action in o erative position it'is sim ly necessary to ring the arms --iover-t e ledges a, so that the slots 10 register with the threaded apertures 9, and the lower ends of the adjusting screws "5 rest upon the to face of the bearing plate:i8-, after whic the clamps -6'- are screwed into the apertures .9 to hold the action approximately in its proper position, whereupon the entire action may be moved lengthwise a limited distance to bring the pneumatics 3 into proper longitudinal adjustment with reference to the parts upon which they coact,

and by manipulating the screws 5 the entire action maybe tilted transversel so as,

to bring the pneumatics -3 into the esired vertical position with reference to the parts acted upon thereby, and when said pneumatics are brought to the desired positionthe entire pneumatic action may be clamped in place by the clamp' screws 6- which are formed with suitii bfie shoulders bearing upon the top faces of the arms 4. These arms 4 are rigidl attached to the pneu maticaction, preferab y by the bolts 2 by whjehhthe valve shelves are secured together, ant t e to the she ves in any desired manner, not necessary to herein specifically illustrate or describe.

I preferably employ a series'of separable valve shelves '*1-+ arranged one above the other, and provided with registering windways 12 at one end communicating with exhaust chambers 13-' and connected to a chamber 14=, which in turn, is connected rables'helves --1 are held apart by interveiling spacing blocks having aperpneuscrews on each end of the action restin neuinatics 3- are also securedse'sivire ends of t transversely I tures or wind-ways receiving the bolts 2'- The exact manner'of clamping the valveshelve's together'is, however, immaterial in pneumatics and a sup ort therefor, and

means forv adjusting sai neumatics longitudinally and tilting them transversely.

2. In a self-pla ing musical instrument, the 4 combination wit a case, of a pneumatic ac tion'mounted' in the case, means for tilt' the action transversely, v and addition means for holdingit in its adjusted position.

3. In a self-playing musical instrument, a pneumatic action comprising a valve shelf and a. series of neumaticsrigidly secured thereto, longitu all lprojecting arm's rigidly secured to the s e supporting ledges for said arms, adjusting screws engaging said ledges and arms, and means for c amping the arms to the'ledges.

4. In a self-playing musical instrument, in

combination with opposite end ledges of a piano case, arms overhan g said led es, and means for adjusting sai arms vertica y, a series of separable valve shelves arranged one above the other below said arms and,

provided with registering wind ports, and clamping bolts passed throu h the arms and through .the op osite ends 0 the shelves for securing said as elves together and to said arms.

:5. In avself -playing musical instrument, a

pneumatic action comprising a. wind chest or valve-shelf, and a series of pneumatics rigidly s'ecured thereto, supporting ledges at the ends of the action, a pair ofadjusting I upon said ledges and means for clamping t 0 action to said led es.

6. In a self-p aying musical instrument, a pneumatic action comprising a wind' chest or valve-shelf, and a series of pneumatics rigidl mounted thereon, said action being tiltab e longitudinally and transversel and position,

7 In a self-playing musical instrument, in combination with a piano case a. series of separable valve shelves "supported ne, above the other and providedwith regis ring wind port's, -se arate clamping devices passed through t e opposite ends of said shelves for miim 0 them to ethen supports on said lie shehtes "and adjustable I means for securing the action in its a usted connections between the'opposite ends of said shelves and said supports wherebythe 'shelves may be adjusted vertically and tilted relatively to the supports; 8. In aself-pla combination wit a piano case a series of musical instrumen 'in separable valve shelves arranged one above may be adjusted vertically and tilted transthe other and provided with registering wind versely.

ports, supporting ledges on the case at the 0 posite ends of said shelves, means for c amping said shelves together and separate connections between the op osite ends of the shelves and said supports including separate adjusting devices whereby the shelves In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of March 1906.

- LEWIS B. DOMAN.

Witnesses:

NETTIE A. BIBBENs, M. E. ELLIOTT. 

